Ichabod was the name given to the son of Phineas, the son of Eli the priest meaning: "The glory has departed"( 1 Samuel 4:21 NLT). The boy named Ichabod was given birth to on a day the ark of God was captured, Eli and her husband died. When she heard these, she entered into labour, gave birth, named the boy and died.
The event of that time was a monumental tragedy in the nation of Israel. It was really a sad season. However, certain things led to that sad happening that made the glory of God depart from the nation of Israel. The glory didn't lift all of a sudden. It was the result of certain anomalies in the priestly family of Eli.
1 Samuel 3:13 revealed to us why the glory lifted from Israel: "I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, BECAUSE HIS SONS ARE BLASPHEMING GOD AND HE HASN'T DISCIPLINED THEM" ( NLT). The reason for Ichabod is clear.Eli refused to discipline his children.
Today, the Ichabod experience will be experienced in many homes because of the same reason. Many woke and liberal teachers have gone into the world and the church by extension preaching and teaching against moderate discipline of children. The way and manner they speak against the use of rod made me go back into scriptures to check what the bible prescribes for childish foolishness.
Proverbs 22:15 says, "Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the ROD OF DISCIPLINE will drive it far away"( NIV). Some of these woke teachers says that rod is metaphorical in its usage in that text of scripture but when I check the Hebrew rendition of that scripture, it is not in any way metaphorical. It is just as it is.
Some even cite European laws against the use of rod but I ask, can you compare the morality of children raised in that clime with ours in Africa? When European christians began to twist scriptures such as this, they experienced Ichabod. Raising a sane child in Europe is a huge project. That's why a small child will call police on his father. Is that what you want?
I am not blind to the fact that some have abused the use of the rod even to the point of inflicting injuries but the abuse of a thing doesn't nullify its usefulness in proper context and application. We must be wary of bad ideology that cannot drive out folly in the heart of our children. The bible's prescription is rod of discipline, then every other thing can follow.
Many homes are set for the Ichabod experience. I see it around. Mothers whose moral rods are weak to correct their children. They say, "he's just being childish". That childish behaviour that stinks is what the bible calls folly. Use the rod moderately to cast it out. The number of spoilt brats are increasing by the day but we excuse it away by saying "It is just the characteristics if Gen Z".
Recently, we saw how a Gen-Z disrespected a lecturer in one of our universities. We are already harvesting our woke teachings against discipline. I wasn't too surprised. Expect more of it because he that sow to the wind shall reap a harvest of whirlwind.
Proverbs 23:13 says, "Don’t fail to discipline your children. The rod of punishment won’t kill them"( NLT).
